EATON — The First Church of God in Eaton will host the second annual Vincent Jones Memorial Blood Drive Saturday, June 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in honor of the young dad who lost his battle with leukemia in 2016 just days before the birth of his son.
Local businesses are sponsoring a free pancake and sausage breakfast during the blood drive in the First Church of God gym, 601 East Lexington Road. Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment online at www.DonorTime.com or call 1-800-388-GIVE.
Everyone who registers to donate will receive the Community Blood Center “Giving Blood, Saving Lives, That’s How I Roll! Donate Blood” t-shirt and will be automatically entered in the “Scouting for Donors Summer Blood Drive” drawing to win an Indian Scout Sixty motorcycle. Donors will also receive a #VincentStrong bracelet.
“Blood donation has become a very big passion for my family,” said Vincent’s widow Mindy Sue Jones, who is again serving as blood drive coordinator. “It was because of generous blood donations by numerous individuals that my husband Vincent lived to meet our youngest son, Jeremiah. Vincent passed away less than two weeks after Jeremiah’s birth. Without those blood donations, father and son never would have met each other.”
Early registrations for the blood drive have passed the total from last year’s blood drive. “We have already added spots twice to the drive and it would be exciting to be able to add even more!” said Jones.
“Through this blood drive I hope to honor my husband’s legacy and teach my boys about the ripple effect: that by giving to other people, those individuals can later give to others,” she said. “In the end you never know how far your giving will reach and how many people will be blessed because you were kind and brave enough to give of yourself. Together we can all make a difference!”
